Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, determination of data that allows conclusions to be drawn about the cause of a disturbance is activated. The cause of the disturbance is then determined by a diagnostic application that takes the data into account. Data determination is automatically deactivated by taking into account a configurable time limit or after a fixed period of time. Activation of data determination is chronologically closely linked to the occurrence of the disturbance such that particularly meaningful data is determined for determining the cause.

Abstract: Information (cell) that is to be transmitted at least partially via a packet-oriented communication network, e.g. Ethernet (IEEE 802.3) or via a cell-oriented communication network is inserted as useful information into a useful data field of at least one data packet of the communication network, which contains target and useful data respectively, or into a time slot of the time-slot oriented communication network. According to the invention, additional routing information for the transmission is assigned to the information prior to insertion into the data packet or time slot, whereby the information that has been sent with the data packet or time slot to a destination in the packet -or cell-oriented communication network is transmitted in accordance with the respective assigned routing information. The invention permits information cell, cell that is to be transmitted via different connections to be transmitted cost-effectively and transparently via a packet-oriented communication network.

Abstract: Information (cell) that is to be transmitted at least partially via a packet-oriented communication network, e.g. Ethernet (IEEE 802.3) or via a cell-oriented communication network is inserted as useful information into a useful data field of at least one data packet of the communication network, which contains target and useful data respectively, or into a time slot of the time-slot oriented communication network. According to the invention, additional routing information for the transmission is assigned to the information prior to insertion into the data packet or time slot, whereby the information that has been sent with the data packet or time slot to a destination in the packet-or cell-oriented communication network is transmitted in accordance with the respective assigned routing information. The invention permits information cell, cell that is to be transmitted via different connections to be transmitted cost-effectively and transparently via a packet-oriented communication network.

Abstract: The invention relates to a communication system comprising several connection units, associated to each other and to which several redundant transmission lines, provided for establishing at least one communication link, are respectively connected. In each of said connection units, control functions are provided for controlling functions which are centrally executed in said communication system and/or in the respective communication unit. According to the invention, in case of failure of at least one part of said control functions in one of the connection units, at least the failed communication system-specific and/or connection unit-specific functions are controlled by the control functions of the at least one corresponding connection unit. Advantageously, the line redundancy is combined with a module redundancy for a central connection unit or module, which contains both local interface functions and central control functions of the communication system.